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STEWARD Communication Manager

Job Description

Project Background:

The United States Government, as represented by a partnership between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) West Africa and the United States Forest Service, International Programs (USFS/IP), is funding the regional Sustainable and Thriving Environments for West African Regional Development Program Phase III (STEWARD III). STEWARD III is a forest conservation, climate change and sustainable livelihoods program focusing on trans-boundary priority zones in the Upper Guinean Forest Ecosystem in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Ivory Coast. The USAID and USFS/IP partnership began conserving this ecosystem under STEWARD Phase I (October 2007 ; June 2009). Work was expanded under a second phase of STEWARD (July 2009 – February 2011) to address regional threats to biodiversity and to capitalize on opportunities to support peace building, biodiversity conservation, knowledge dissemination and policy harmonization. The program is now transitioning into Phase III, a four-year program through September 2015.

About Media Impact:

Media Impact empowers communities worldwide to inspire enduring change through creative storytelling. Media Impact is a leader in Entertainment- Education and social change communications. For 25 years, we have worked with local partners to produce programs that address the most pressing social and environmental issues. Using our unique My Community methodology, we engage and empower audiences around the world to improve their own lives. Working with local partners, we have produced more than 3,000 episodes of 100 TV and radio productions. Together, these programs have reached more than 1 billion people in 34 countries.

About the Position:

Media Impact has been selected by USFS/IP, to lead the STEWARD III Communications Program.

The STEWARD Communication Coordinator will be part of a five-person Communication Team with specific responsibility to support the implementation of a STEWARD Communication and Outreach Strategy. The position will report to the STEWARD Communication Director, also based in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Work with all STEWARD partners to support and implement a STEWARD Strategic Communication and Outreach Plan, including an Entertainment-Education component..

Supervise or coordinate communication personnel as necessary (either staff or partners) in the two STEWARD priority zones.

Support and work in close collaboration with the STEWARD Communication Director, and STEWARD partners in the STEWARD Priority Zones to successfully implement the agreed program. This includes participating in planning meetings, establishing work plans, communication and evaluation plans, and budgets.

Support the STEWARD Communication Director in providing day-to-day project management, in consultation with Media Impact NY, of the Media Impact STEWARD grant, including completion of all project reports and work plans and budget preparation and management.

Support the STEWARD Communication Director to build and deepen the audience and “footprint” for STEWARD communications; grow awareness and trust of the STEWARD brand, the program’s activities, objectives etc.; support knowledge, attitude and behavior change objectives; and optimize internal and external learning around project success and failure.

Lead on the development and management of local partnerships with (for example) ministries, universities, local NGOs, private sector as these partnerships support the overall communication strategy.

Lead the drafting, editing, and management of creative and impactful written work and digital products targeted at multiple audiences and across multiple platforms.

Lead on the day-to-day logistics and management of the (proposed) STEWARD Communication Coordinating Group (representatives from all STEWARD partners).

Lead other communication/outreach activities as needed, including event planning and management, publicity, social media, and graphic design.

Work with the STEWARD Communication Team to plan and organize communication related training activities. Support other regional training, as relevant for STEWARD.

Work with STEWARD partners to design and produce training materials for a variety of audiences.

Design and coordinate implementation of Learning Exchanges for stakeholders within and between STEWARD Priority Zones, as well as decision-makers from regional centers.

Work as part of the STEWARD Communication Team and with other STEWARD partners to design and implement an M&E process to measure program impacts.

Support other regional E-E training, as relevant for STEWARD.

Additional tasks may be assigned from time to time.

Qualifications, Skills and Knowledge Requirements:

Fluency in spoken and written English. French language skills a plus..

Education and/or experience equivalent to a Master’s Degree in communication for development (C4D), branding, international development, journalism, Entertainment-Education, social marketing or a field relevant to media/communication and development.